Can opener



Jan. 24, 1933.

W. E. JENSEN CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 3 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 24, 1933. w E, JENSEN 1,895,221

CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 5l, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N mm Patented Jan. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-Ica WILLIAM E. JENSEN, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

' F. W. NORTON, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS Application led January 31, 1931. Serial No. 512,625.

My invention relates to can openers. It relates more in particular to the t e of can opener in which the entire top o the can is removed by cutting action so that the contents of the can may be removed.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved can opener.

Another object is the provision of a can n opener which adjusts itself automatically to peculiarities in the shapes of varioustypes of cans.

Another object is the provision of a can opener, which is economical to manufacture and which will have a long life. l

Another object is the provision of a can opener in which the can opener may serve as a handle for lifting the can and dumping the contents thereof.

Another object is the provision of means for preventing fine particles of metal fromv dropping into the food. y

Another object is the provision of means for preventing the top of the canA from dropping into the body thereof.

Other objects and features Kof the invention will be apparent from a considerationof the following detailed description taken with the accompanying detailed drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the canv opener and the manner in which it is attached to a can,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational yiew thereof,

- Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the can opener, the view being from the opposite side as that from which Fig. 2 is taken,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a removable o magnet for preventing metal particles from dropping into the can,

Fig. 6 shows the can opener used for pourv ing the contents of the can,

Figs. 7 and 8 represent modied magnet 4.5 means for preventing particles of metal from dropping into the can,

Fig. 9 shows `a modified construction of the can opener, v Fig. 10 is a sectional view thereof taken l along the line 10--10 of Fig. 9 and Fig. 11

'suitable steel, has a cutting edge 21a disis a perspective-view of a magnet as shown 1n the modified form. i

In general the can opener comprises a knife which engages into the top of the can to cut the same and a feed wheel which engages under the bead at the top edge of the can to advance the can opener around the top of the can so that the knife cuts around the edge ofthe top. The feed wheel is moved into contact with the bead by lever action, and the feed wheel and knife cooperate to compensate for irregularities in the bead, or varying sizes of beads from one can to another. A magnet is provided with one pole adjacent the knife to pick up small particles of metal which are cut away from the can and become separated therefrom as the can is opened. A body portion to which the cutting and feeding mechanism is attached is provided and such body portion has guide means for governing the position whichthe can opener takes when applied to the can.

Referring now to the drawin s,

' The' can opener comprises a ody ortion 16 in the form of a flat piece of metal aving 'I5 top guide members 17 and 18, which normally ride over the top edge'of the can when the opener is attached thereto, and a bottom' guide member 19, which constitutes a flange at the bottom of the body member and envgages along the side of the can (Fig. 3). The

body portion carries a knife 21 secured thereto by rivets 22 and separated from the body portion by a liner 23. This knife, formed of posed at an angle to facilitate cutting and also arranged so that the knife may extend a very slight distance, or a comparatively great distance below the normal plane of the top of the can and fully satisfactory cutting action take place. It is obvious that if the knife moves around the top of the can in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 4, the top cover 24 will be excised from the can 26. If Fig. 3 will be examined it will be seen that the top 24 is cut at the very inside edge thereof adjacenttlie bead 27. The feedingk means for moving the can opener around the top of the can is made to en age the lower outside portion of the bead 2 and operate 100 in such a wav as tomove the can opener about the top of the can.

As to the feeding means, this will be de;

"body member by pivot pin 29, the bell crank lever having an elongated pivot opening 31.

ne arm of the bell crank constitutes the handle 32 and the other arm of the bell crank constitutes a feed wheel carrying mechanism 33.

The portion 33 has journaled therein aV stub shaft 34 to the inside of which a hardenedfsteel feed wheel 36 is secured having teeth 37 adapted to engage under the bead 27. T'he shaft 34 carries a sleeve 38 just clearing the side edges of an arcuate slot 39. A washer 41 engaging the member 33 on one side thereof, and the feed Wheel 36 engaging the body portion at the opposite side holds the feed portion assembled. The washer 41 is held by the feeding handle 42, the handle being secured to the shaft 34 in any suitable gefore referring /more completely to the operation of the device, it may be said thatl by the operation of the feeding handle 42 and the handle 32, the can opener is fitted to the top of a can and moved around the can to open the same. In the cutting action incidental to the opening, fine shreds and slivers of the metal may be cut 'from the body of the can and it is desired, if possible, to prevent these particles fromfalling into the food. I accomplish this by means of a horse shoe magnet 43 having pole pieces 44 and 46. The pole piece k44 is made relatively narrow and is adapted to fit into a cut-away portion of the liner 23. The pole piece 46 then is close tobut out of contact with the knife 21 so that it will pickf'up'substantially all of the separately fromthe can opener with a full charge of magnetism and then merely fitted into position where it is held frictionally. As Fig. 3 shows,v a lslight bend is provided in the pole piece 44, causing the same to lit snugl between the body portion and knife 21. hould a magnet lose its power, it can be removed from the opener and another magnet supplied in its place. C

Figs. 7 and 8 show modifications in which a magnet 143 is provided having pole 'pieces 144 and 146. In this magnet the pole piece 144 serves as a liner between the body of the can opener and the blade thereof andis held permanently in place, it being assembled With the can opener by means of the rivets 22.v

In the operation of the can opener, the handle 32 is grasped in the left hand and with the can opener in the position shown in Fig. 1 the body portion is turned with respect -to the handle as far as possible in a counter clockwise direction. In this position the handle projects up somewhat vertically, the angle to the vertical being roughly about thirty degrees With the particular dimensions, etc. employed by me. The can 'opener is then pla-ced against the can with the guide members '17 and 18 extending over the top edge and the flange 19 ,along the outside of the cylindrical portion of the can body. In this position the knife rests lightly on the top 24 and the feed wheel 36 is slightly below the outside of the bead 27. The butterfly handle 42 is then grasped with the right hand and the handle 32 with the left hand. The butterfiy handle 42 is then turned in a clockwise direction and the handle 32 lowered to substantially a horizontal position.l This moves the knife 21 andthe feed wheel 36 closer to each other so that they overlap, the knife forcing its wayythrough the top 24 and the feed wheel engaging snugly against the edge of the bead 27. Continued movement of the butterfiy handle 42 will then have the eect of rotating the feed wheel 36, the teeth 37 ci; gaging the bead 27 and moving the entire c opener'about the top of the can. Whether the can moves or the can opener moves will '1) top 24 to hold the feed wheel against the bead *105 at the top of the can, and due to the shape of the knife an automaticadjustment is oby tained for irregularities or non-uniformity in the shape and size of the bead. I may provide additional means to secure this result, l

however, and Figs. 9 to 11 show one manner in which the additional vmeans can be built into a can opener as shown in the main figures. Here a spring 146, inserted into the body portion 116, engages against the sleeve 138. Since vertical movement of the entire handle assembly is permitted on account of the loose pivot 129, when the feed wheel 136 engages the bead and meets with some resistance, tending to move it downwardly, the sleeve 138- will engage the spring 146, thereby depressing the spring 146 slightly and maintaining at -al'l times while the feed wheel'is vin engagement with the bead, a slight resilient pressure of the feed wheel against such bead. Not only does this cause more positive action but compensates for irregularities and non-uniformities as described in connection with the main figure. As has been said, however, substantially this same result is obtainable by depending upon the resilient character of the top 24 to maintain this resilient yield- `ng pressure of the feed wheel 36 against the The modified form also shows a different style of magnet 243, in which the pole piece 244 fits entirely around the body portion 116 and between the rivets 122. The pole piece 246 in this form fits down somewhat closer to the knife 121.

One of the advantages of the present style of can opener is illustrated in Fig. 6. This shows the manner in which theconteuts of the can may be poured by grasping the han dle 32.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a can opener, a body portion, a knife carried by the body portion and spaced therefrom, a bell crank lever pivoted to the body portion by a loose pivot and having a feed wheel rotatably secured to one arm of the bell crank lever, the feed wheel engaging under the bead at the top of a can when the bell crank is turned by grasping the other arm thereof, means for shifting the pivoting point of said loose pivot as the bell crank lever is turned and means for turning said feed Wheel while in contact with the bead to progress the opener about the top of the can.

2. In a can opener, a bod portion having an arcuate slot therein, a knlfe carried by the body portion at the top thereof, a lever pivoted to the body portion below the slot, a shaft pivoted to the lever and having one end extending through said slot, a feed wheel on one end of said shaft, and grasping means on the other end of the shaft for turning the shaft, and a spring set in the body portion and forming one edge of said slot, the shaft functioning to ride against said spring.

3. In a. can opener, a body portion in the form of a flat section of sheet metal, guides at the top thereof adapted to extend over the top bead of the can, a flange at the bottom for spacing the lower portion of the body away from the can, a knife secured to the body in spaced relation thereto and projecting downwardly, a lever pivoted to the body and having a short shaft journaled therein, the shaft extending through an arcuate slot in the body, a feed wheel on the inside end of said shaft, and an operating handle 0n the opposite outside end of said shaft, said feed wheel adapted to engage the bottom edge of the bead and drive the opener around the can when said operating handle is turned, and aspring disposed adjacent the slot and serving to maintain a resilient pressure against said shaft when the feed wheel is in engagement with said bead.

4. In a can opener, a body member, a knife carried by the body member, means including a feed wheel for moving the knife around the can to excise the top thereof, and a separate magnet having one pole piece attached to the body member and another pole piece disposed near the knife, but out of contact therewith, for catching particles of metal removed from the can.

5. In a can opener, a body portion, a knife secured to the body portion, a handle pivoted to the body portion and having a feed wheel for engaging the head of the canto progress the can opener around the can, and a magnet having one portion disposed between the knife and body portion, and another part disposed near the knife for pickingup particles of metal removed from the can.

6. In a canopener, a body portion, a knife secured to the body portion, a handle pivoted to the body portion and having a feed wheel for engaging the head of the can to progress the can opener around the can, a bipart liner disposed between the knife and body portion leaving an opening between the knife and body portion in a plane with the liner, and a magnet having one end disposed in said opening and the other end near said knife to pick up metal particles removed from the can.

7. In a can opener, a body portion, a knife, means including a feed wheel for moving the knife around the can to excise the top thereof, a magnet, and means for releasably attaching one pole piece of the magnet to the body member, the other pole piece disposed near said knife to pick up metal particles removed from the can.

8. In a can opener, a body portion having an arcuate slot therein, a knife carried by the body portion at the top thereof, a lever pivoted to the body portion below the slot on a loose pivot, a shaft pivoted to the lever and yhaving one end extending through said slot,

a feed wheel on one end of said shaft, and grasping means on the other end of the shaft for turning the shaft, and a spring set in the body portion and forming one edge of said slot, the shaft functioning to ride against said spring to automatically regulate the position of the feed wheel by reason of said loose pivot.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of December, 1930.

WILLIAM E. JENSEN. 

